Transcript What was the Missouri Compromise?

What was the Missouri
Compromise?
The 24th State
In 1805, the United States
Congress organized the land from
the Louisiana Purchase into the
Louisiana Territory. Many white
settlers moved onto the land as
treaties were made with Native
Americans.
Missouri Territory
In 1812, part of the Louisiana Territory
became the state of Louisiana. The rest of
the territory was divided in two. One piece
was the Missouri Territory. The people of
the new territory were allowed to send one
person to represent them in Congress. In
1817, the people chose John Scott, a
respected lawyer.
Missouri Territory
Missouri Territory
As more and more people moved to
Missouri, they wanted greater control over
decisions made about the area. They
wanted a stronger voice in Congress.
They also wanted the benefits of United
States citizenship. John Scott listened to
these desires. In 1818, he asked
Congress to make Missouri a state.
The Missouri Compromise
Missouri had enough people to
become a state. However,
Congress disagreed over whether
Missouri should be a slave state
or a free state.
The Missouri Compromise
In 1818, there were an equal number
of free states and slave states in
America. Some people wanted the
land from the Louisiana Purchase to
be free states. The leaders of
Missouri wanted Missouri to be a
slave state. More than 10,000 slaves
lived in Missouri in 1820.
The Missouri Compromise
To solve the problem, Henry Clay of
Kentucky proposed the Missouri
Compromise. He suggested that both
Maine and Missouri should be new states.
One would be a free state and one would
be a slave state. This would allow the
numbers of each type of state to remain
equal. He also proposed that new states
above 36.5° latitude, except for Missouri,
would be free states.
The Missouri Compromise
Congress agreed to Clay’s plan. Maine became
a free state in 1820. Missouri became a slave
state in 1821.
Missouri Compromise
• A plan to limit the
spread of slavery.
Maine was admitted
as a free state, and
Missouri was
admitted as a slave
state.
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